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April 13, 2014

Sparkling Lavender Cocktail

Sometimes words are hard to come by. We use words all the time. We talk, we text, we e-mail. But how many times can you say you read something, hear something, and it really stays with you? Writing is easy. Writing something powerful, something meaningful is much more difficult.
I read a lot of books and it’s very rare that I remember anything word for word. When I do, as a writer myself, I try and decipher what made it great. What made it stand out from all the other words in my life? It’s not always from an impressive work that will win a Nobel or Pulitzer prize, sometimes it can be from a trashy novel or a song. And then I try to use that to make my own writing better.

When I write fiction, I usually have the ideas in my head. They play in my mind like a movie. I can feel what the characters are feeling, what they want to express, what they are trying to hide, but putting that down on paper and giving it the same quality is so difficult.

Sometimes I write pages and pages only to go back and delete it all because it doesn’t fit with the personality of my character. It was fine writing, mostly grammatically correct, but it wasn’t right. And sometimes I write one sentence that embodies everything perfectly. We keep writing for those sentences. Hopefully, those will be the ones that people remember word for word.

This cocktail doesn’t require many words. Balanced, floral, vibrant. Perfect for spring. Perfect for sipping on while trying to come up with the right words, whatever they are for you.Write drunk, edit sober, so they say. Like sparkling cocktails? Check out these others too:Sparkling Rose CocktailWhite Cranberry CocktailSt. Germain and Elderflower Rhubarb BubblesSparkling Lavender Cocktail1/2 oz lavender syrup (recipe follows)1 oz Lillet Blanc1 tsp fresh lemon juiceSparkling wineCombine all ingredients except sparkling wine in a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a glass. Top with chilled sparkling wine. Lavender Simple Syrup1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup water2 tbsp dried lavenderCombine sugar and water and heat just to boiling. Remove from heat and add the lavender. Cover and allow to infuse for at least 1 hour or until your desired flavour level is reached. Strain out lavender. Store in the refrigerator. I like to store mine in a squeeze bottle, making it easy to portion out later.